KCCI’s Todd Magel sat down with David Axelrod, one of the top political consultants in modern presidential history.

Axelrod was at Simpson College in Indianola Tuesday night to talk about his new book that chronicles 40 years of political work, including the historic election of Barack Obama. Now, a lot of people are asking if Hillary Clinton has asked for any advice.

“I know her well, and I like her and she's been a great friend. We obviously had a difference in 2007 and 2008, but I think highly of her,” Axelrod said.

Axelrod was not always best friends with Clinton, especially when he was running Obama's first election campaign. She was his opponent and lost to Obama in Iowa. But that's old news.

He now says Clinton can do better in Iowa.

“People need to know what this campaign is about, beyond Hillary Clinton, and how to do I fit into that vision? So I think she is doing the right thing by starting from the ground up rather than the top down,” Axelrod said.

Axelrod said Clinton campaigned in 2007 in Iowa with an air of inevitability. This time around, he said she's learned a powerful lesson.

“That's a great opportunity for her to make the connections that she didn't make eight years ago,” Axelrod said.

She was also critical of Iowa when she lost the caucuses. So, is that forgivable?

“You know better than I that Iowans are open to people that are open to them,” he said.

Axelrod has a lot more to say about Clinton and all of his political friends and enemies in his new book “Believer: My 40 Years in Politics.”